Chef John's Top 10 How-To Videos

Make-Ahead Marsala Turkey Gravy — Photo: Holiday Baker

Chef John has produced more than 1,500 videos for Allrecipes that walk us through cooking techniques both simple and complex. He's actor, director, screenwriter: You only see his hands and hear his comforting voice. And judging by the number of video views, Allrecipeeps just love Chef John videos! Check out his top 10 how-to videos for mastering holiday recipes.

1. How to Roast a Turkey

In this video, Chef John shows you how to make Roast Peruvian-Style Turkey. The key is a flavorful wet rub starring garlic, paprika, cumin, oil, and vinegar. The recipe is based on a magical marinade for Peruvian-style rotisserie chicken; give it a try with a whole chicken if you like. In the video, you'll also see how to squeegee some of the marinade under the turkey's skin to achieve full and complete coverage. The bird emerges from the oven so moist and flavorful. And the wet rub creates a gorgeous crust that really locks in juices. In a bonus moment, Chef John shares how to make luscious gravy from the pan drippings, deglazing the pan with a blended mixture of chicken stock, jalapenos, cilantro, crème fraiche, and lemon juice. Get the recipe for Roast Peruvian Turkey.

2. How to Make Make-Ahead Turkey Gravy

See how to make turkey gravy before the bird even goes into the oven! You know the drill with Thanksgiving dinner, everything comes together at once. The pace is frantic, and it's enough to rattle the nerves. But with this make-ahead recipe, the turkey gravy's already in the bag, er, gravy boat, leaving you to concentrate on other dishes. The secret here is to roast turkey wings on a bed of carrots, celery, and onions. Get the recipe for Chef John's Make-Ahead Turkey Gravy.

3. How to Make Mascarpone Mashed Potatoes

In this video, you'll see how to prepare make-ahead mashed potatoes with creamy mascarpone cheese. The mascarpone cheese, egg, and milk add a wonderful texture to these amazing mashers. These are the perfect potato for Thanksgiving dinner and other holiday meals. Make them in advance, and then simply bake until the tops are beautifully golden brown. Preparing mashers in a casserole is a great, user-friendly way to serve potatoes to a crowd. Get the recipe for Mascarpone Mashed Potatoes.

4. How to Make Green Bean Casserole

Regular green bean casserole is delicious enough, but this green bean casserole takes it to a whole other level. Why? Because it's tricked out with some of Chef John's favorite French onion soup flavors. And it's so easy to make! You'll caramelize the onions, create a simple white sauce with butter, flour, and cold milk. Then you're on your way! Check out the recipe for French Onion Green Bean Casserole.

5. How to Make Sweet Potato Casserole

Watch Chef John make a sweet potato casserole with a pistachio crust. Instead of brown sugar, maple syrup is the sweet ingredient here. And the topping stars pistachios instead of mini-marshmallows, keeping things nice and savory. This classic casserole comes out of the oven beautiful and delicious, an amazing combination of tastes and textures. Get the recipe for Chef John's Sweet Potato Casserole.

6. How to Make Pumpkin Pie

See how to make a classic Thanksgiving dessert recipe. After many years of experimenting, Chef John has finally perfected his pumpkin pie-filling formula—just in time for Thanksgiving dinner! The end result is a pumpkin pie that's rich and custardy, with an ideal texture; it's also much less likely to crack in the oven. Yes, that's right, in this video, you'll see how to keep your pumpkin pie from cracking. Best of all, this pumpkin pie filling is super easy to make! Get the recipe for Chef John's Pumpkin Pie.

7. How to Make Perfect Prime Rib

In this video, you'll see Chef John's secret method for creating prime rib that's perfectly pink and extra moist in the center with a delicious crispy crust. This roasting method hits that magical sweet spot between rare and medium rare. The secret here is…math! But it's easy math. The trick is to bring the bone-in roast to room temperature before putting it in the oven. Then, it's a big blast of high heat to sear the surface of the meat, followed by very slow cooking with the oven off. Get the recipe for Chef John's Perfect Prime Rib.

8. How to Make Yorkshire Pudding

Here, Chef John shows us how to make traditional Yorkshire pudding. Just whisk up a mixture of eggs, salt, flour, and milk and let chill for 15 minutes. Add tablespoons of beef fat to a muffin tin and place in a preheated oven until smoking hot before filling halfway with the delicious batter. Pop them in the oven until puffed and browned, poke them to release their steam, and enjoy! Perfect when slathered with gravy, or served as an accompaniment to a holiday prime rib. Get the recipe for Chef John's Traditional Yorkshire Pudding.

9. How to Make Baked Honey-Glazed Ham

In this video, Chef John shows you how to get the three most important things from your holiday ham: "wonderful flavor; gorgeous, shiny appearance; and a crispy, crackling crust." Get the recipe for Chef John's Honey-Glazed Ham.

10. How to Make Gratin Potatoes

Watch Chef John make truffled potato and mushroom gratin. The starring ingredient here is a semi-soft Italian cheese studded with truffles. It's called sottocenere, and you can find it in most quality cheese shops. The cheese smells fantastic, and it really makes this gratin special, providing a perfect punch of truffle flavor and aroma. Layer your potatoes, mushrooms, and grated cheese into a casserole dish, and pour over a little cream and chicken stock. That's it! Then it's ready to bake to a beautiful bubbly finish in the oven. Get the recipe for Chef John's Truffled Potato Gratin.